LOAD OF THE WEEK- 2009/11/13    

Being eliminated in a shooting event is not something that settles well with CURMUDGEON.   C will reach for his box of “special” loads thus avoiding the big “E”.   Here are a few of his undercover favorites.   Plus some SNAPPER (fast) 20-gauge 3” steel loads followed by a big mouth comment or two.  

Load# 90505-827  ELIMINATOR

HULL:  WIN AA-HS 12-gauge 2.75”   

PRIMER: WIN209 

PROPELLANT: Alliant E3 17.5 Grains

WAD:  VP20 (12-gauge wad)  

SHOT:  1 1/8 ounce (492 grains) Lead # 7.5     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 8-point 

Result: PSI 11000  FPS 1230 

Load# 90505-820  ELIMINATOR

HULL:  FIOCCHI 12-gauge 2.75”   

PRIMER: FIO616 

PROPELLANT: Alliant GREEN DOT 24.0 Grains

WAD:  VP20 (12-gauge wad)  

SHOT:  1 1/8 ounce (492 grains) Lead # 7.5     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 6-point 

Result: PSI 10200 PSI  FPS 1290 

Load# 91029-1528 ELIMINATOR

HULL:  RIO 12-gauge 2.75”   

PRIMER: RIO209 

PROPELLANT: Alliant UNIQUE 25.0 Grains

WAD:  VP20 (12-gauge wad)  

SHOT:  1 1/8 ounce (492 grains) Lead # 7.5     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 8-point 

Result: PSI 9400  FPS 1295 

Load# 90505-827 BIG BOY ELIMINATOR      

HULL:  RIO 12-gauge 2.75”   

PRIMER: RIO209 

PROPELLANT: IMR SR7625 32.0 Grains

WAD:  VP20 (12-gauge wad)  

SHOT:  1 1/4 ounce (546 grains) Lead # 7     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 6-point 

Result: PSI 10500  FPS 1380 

Load# 90505-826 BIG BOY ELIMINATOR

HULL:  FIOCCHI 12-gauge 2.75”   

PRIMER: FIO616 

PROPELLANT: Hodgdon UNIVERSAL CLAYS 28.0 Grains

WAD:  VP20 (12-gauge wad)  

SHOT:  1 1/4 ounce (546 grains) Lead # 7     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 6-point 

Result: PSI 11200  FPS 1390

Load# 91106-1565 STEEL SNAPPER

HULL:  MULTIHULL 20-gauge 3.00”   

PRIMER: CH209 

PROPELLANT: Alliant STEEL 32.0 Grains

WAD:  CSD20

SHOT:  ¾ ounce (328 grains) Steel shot #3     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 6-point 

Result: PSI 10500  FPS 1700

Load# 91106-1567R STEEL SNAPPER

HULL:  MULTIHULL 20-gauge 3.00”   

PRIMER: CH209 

PROPELLANT: Alliant STEEL 31.0 Grains

WAD:  VP90 (4 slits) 

SHOT:  ¾ ounce (328 grains) Steel shot #3     

BUFFER:  none  

FOLD CRIMP: 6-point 

Result: PSI 11800 FPS 1720

CURMUDGEON COMMENT

“Can’t load it!”  “C” hears this!  The comment begins a Sherlock Holmes like review. From long distance, and not being able to observe the load, loader or techniques used, C is challenged to discover the fallacy.  Don’t be too hasty to bet on the caller, as C often discovers reloading misapplications, or false techniques and those floating bits of general confusion. 

“Can’t load it”, ignores the load has been previously put together and test fired by the lab techs.  So SOMEBODY was able to produce this load and fire it.  But there are many slips between reading about a load and pushing it through a reloading press.

From afar “C” yaks on the phone:

“Are you measuring the elements with a digital scale? (Good to get it right.)

“What shot size are you using?” (Buckshot in a quail load?  How interesting.)

“Repeat the recipe for me!”  (That’s not right!)

“What reloading tool are you using?” (A pre-WWI table top tootise toy.)

“Do you wish to bet your butt (twenty dollars will do) that “C” can load it?”

Thus far this week “C” has uncovered the following. 

Roll-crimping a fold-crimped load.  Does it matter?  Yes and no. (There is a MUCH longer answer and greater depth here).  Some propellants (and this entails nearly all of the slower burn rate propellants) do not take to roll-crimped loads. 

Three points:  (1)Some hull plastics do NOT cooperate with roll-crimping.  (The good guys; FIOCCHI. MULTIHULL. RIO, FEDERAL, WINAA-HS).

(2) The roll-crimping desire may lack the needed tools, talent or technique.

(3) The elements coming together may not be suitable for roll-crimping. [Note: Roll crimping was used with black powder loading and black powder burns INSTANTLY!  The slower the burn rate of the modern nitro-cellulose propellant utilized - the LESS likely the roll-crimped load will function without great ups/downs in pressure and velocity.

Dropping the elements.  The reloading person dropped (via bushing or scale) all the elements into the hull. The last step in the process was to attempt to fold-crimp the load. This may be  reasonable with simple loads in a short hull.  However, as we move away from target loads and into built-up hunting loads (multiple layers) there is a NEED to compact as you move along. Layer by layer.  This is a reloading technique!  Either you acquire it - or you don’t.  If you assemble all the elements of a load in a stack before compressing, you may find your fold-crimp impossible to apply.  You NEED to compress (not crush) in layers.  (Remember, somebody else made this load, so can’t you?)  Slow burn rate propellants used in hunting loads are often spongy as pillows. (Air spaces in propellants equal BAD LOADS.)  Propellants NEED to be compressed when the wad is placed in the hull. Once other components stack, you have lost your chance to compact the propellant.  (Hunting loads on a progressive loader?  You have to be nuts!)  

The wad is difficult to get into the hull and sometimes “tips” from the force applied.  Ah, precisely why God (and BP) invented Mica Wad Slick (white mica dust).  Fired hulls retain a smooth exterior, but insides become scoured with craters. (Rough as a cob).  A teaspoon of Mica Wad Slick into a bag of wads and presto!  The wad now slithers easily into the roughed up interiors of fired hulls.  For BP, this is magic is now thirty years old.                        

And what is “C” doing with his odd moments?  Why playing with the NEW nickel plated lead BUCKSHOT (OO @ .325” and 51.4 gr. Each) just arrived at BP).  The penetration of these pellets is ENORMOUS!   Perfect for hunting or tactical loads.   C           

Do you have a suggestion or load you would like to see?  Email it to loadoftheweek@ballisticproducts.com

Sign up for Email Updates